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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
A wise woman's magic
三兄弟与女巫的快乐魔法
Once upon a time, there were three brothers named Samuel, Timothy and Xander, who lived nearby the woods. Every day, they would venture into the forest to fell wood to sell it later in the market.
从前，有这么兄弟三人居住在森林旁，他们分别名叫塞缪尔、蒂莫西和赞德。他们三人每天都会去森林里砍伐木材，然后到市场上出售。
Even though they lived a good life, they were unhappy. Each one hankered for something else, and would pine for it.
尽管他们的日子过得不错，但他们并不快乐。每个人都渴望得到更多，并为此痛苦不已。
One day, while Samuel, Timothy and Xander were returning home from the woods, they saw an old haggard woman bent1 low with a sack on her back. As they were kind and compassionate2, the brothers offered to carry the sack for her to her home. She was very grateful to the brothers, who took turns in carrying the sack. When they reached the woman's home, they were very tired.
一天，在从森林回家的路上，塞缪尔、蒂莫西和赞德看到一位憔悴的老妇人背着一个麻袋，麻袋已把她的身体压得很低。兄弟三人都很善良且富有同情心，因此他们主动上前要求帮这位老妇人把麻袋送回家。于是，三兄弟开始轮流帮老妇人背麻袋，老妇人对他们的帮助感激不尽。到了老妇人家的时候，他们都已筋疲力尽。
Now, this old woman was no ordinary person; she had magical powers. Pleased with the brothers' kind and selfless nature, she asked if she could help them with anything, as a reward.
这位老妇人并非常人，她其实是一位拥有法力的女巫。她对兄弟三人的善良和无私感到非常满意，于是她问兄弟三人是否有什么需要她帮助的，作为报答。
"We are not happy, and that has become our greatest cause of concern," replied Samuel. The woman asked what would make them happy. Each brother spoke3 of a different thing that would please him.
“我们的日子过得不快乐，这让我们很苦恼。”塞缪尔回答说。老妇人问什么能让他们快乐起来。三兄弟分别给出了不同的答案。
"A splendid mansion4 with plenty of servants would make me happy," said Samuel. "A big farm with lots of harvest would make me happy," said Timothy. "A beautiful wife would make me happy," said Xander.
“拥有一所豪宅，再配上很多仆人，会让我快乐。”塞缪尔回答说。“拥有一个收成非常好的大农场，会让我快乐。”蒂莫西回答说。“拥有一位美丽的妻子，会让我快乐。”赞德回答说。
"If these things will give you happiness, you deserve them for helping5 a poor helpless person like me. Go home, and each of you shall find exactly what you have wished for." Said the old woman.
“如果这些能给你们带来快乐，这些就是你们应得的，因为你们帮助过一个像我这样无助的人。现在回家吧，你们每个人都会得到自己想要的。”老妇人说。
The brothers knew nothing about the woman's magical powers and went home, not expecting anything to happen. Upon returning home though, they saw that there was a huge mansion besides their cottage with servants waiting outside! They greeted Samuel and ushered6 him in. Asides the mansion, a yellow farmland showed itself. A ploughman came and announced that the land belonged to Timothy. Just at that moment, a beautiful maiden7 approached Xander and coyly said that she was his wife. The brothers were filled with joy at this new turn of events. They thanked their lucky stars and adapted to their new lifestyles.
兄弟三人对这位老妇人的法力一无所知，因此，他们并没有期待回家后会有什么事情发生。但，到家后，他们发现他们住的小屋旁边，出现了一所非常大的豪宅，外面有许多仆人正在等待。仆人们向塞缪尔致敬，并把他迎进了豪宅。豪宅旁边出现一片金黄色的农场。一位农夫走过来，宣布这片土地属于蒂莫西。就在那一刻，一位美丽的少女走近赞德，害羞地说，她就是赞德的妻子。兄弟三人沉浸在这些生活的新变化带来的喜悦之中。他们向他们的幸运星表达了感激之情，然后开始适应他们的全新生活方式。
The days passed and soon a year was over. Samuel had grown tired of owning the mansion. He became lazy and did not supervise his servants into taking proper care of the mansion. Timothy, who had built a decent house next to his farmland, found it burdensome to plough the fields and sow seeds. Xander too, grew used to his beautiful wife and no longer found any joy in keeping her company. In short, all of them were unhappy again.
时光流逝，一年的时间很快就过去了。塞缪尔已经对拥有这所豪宅感到厌倦。他变得懒惰，不再监督仆人妥善照料他的豪宅。蒂莫西在他的农场旁建造了一座很像样的房子，却发现耕田、播种这样的工作是非常繁重的。同样，赞德也对他美丽的妻子失去了新鲜感，发现与她相伴时的愉悦已一去不复返。总之，三兄弟又不快乐了。
One day, the three of them met up and decided8 to visit the old woman again. "We must go and seek her help now. It is she who will be able to tell us the secret to attaining9 happiness," said Samuel.
一天，他们三人相遇并决定再次拜访那位老妇人。“我们现在必须去寻求她的帮助。只有她能够告诉我们获得快乐的秘诀。”塞缪尔说。
When they came to the old woman, each of the brothers recounted how he had turned unhappy again. "Please tell us how we can once more be happy," said Timothy.
他们来到老妇人面前，每个人都讲述了自己是如何再次变得不快乐的。“请您告诉我们怎样才能重新快乐起来。”蒂莫西说。
"Well," replied the old woman. "It is all in your own hands. See, when each of you made his wish and it was granted, you were happy. However, happiness never lasts without a very important thing—content. Earlier, since you were happy but never really content or satisfied, boredom10 and misery11 overcame you and you became sad again. Only if you learn to be content, can you truly enjoy the bliss12 of happiness."
“嗯，”老妇人回答说，“快乐其实完全掌握在你们自己手中。你看，当你们每个人许下愿望并得到满足时，你们很快乐。但是，快乐的延续却离不开一件非常重要的事情——知足。之前，你们得到了快乐但从来没真正满足，也从来没有知足，于是无聊和痛苦就会战胜你，让你再次变得悲伤难过。只有当你们学会知足时，你们才能体会到真正的快乐。
Samuel, Timothy and Xander realized their mistake and went back home. Remembering that happiness and content went side by side, never again did the brothers take their blessings13 for granted. And thus, they lived happily ever after.
塞缪尔、蒂莫西和赞德终于意识到自己犯下的错误，于是返回了自己的家中。牢记快乐与知足是如影随形的，三兄弟不再把上天赐予他们的眷顾视为理所当然。于是，从此以后，他们过上了幸福快乐的生活。
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1
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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2
compassionate
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| adj.有同情心的，表示同情的 | |
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3
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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4
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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5
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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6
ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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8
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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9
attaining
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的现在分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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10
boredom
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| n.厌烦，厌倦，乏味，无聊 | |
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11
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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12
bliss
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| n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福 | |
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13
blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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